English

W H E R E

I S

K A N A Z A W A ?

West of Tokyo, north of Kyoto,
Kanazawa is located in central Honshu
and easily accessible by rail or air.

New Chitose
AirportKanazawa is located between the Sea of Japan and
the Japan Alps, due west of Tokyo (a one-hour ﬂight
into Komatsu Airpor t or a t wo -and-a-half-hourjourney by Shink ansen) and nor th of Kyoto (atwo-hour train ride). The local population is just over
460,000, and most of the city falls within a radius offour sq. miles, making it easy to navigate for visitors.
Sendai Airport
But don’t be fooled by its size: Kanazawa
Noto Airport
packs so much art, culture, cuisine,
Hokuriku
Shinkansen
Kanazawa
and natural beauty into its
NaganoKomatsu
Airportborders, there’s always
Ishikawa
Narita Airport
Tokyo
Maibarasomething more
Kyoto
NagoyaHaneda Airport
to see!
Osaka
Fukuoka
AirportKansaiInternational
AirportTRANSPORTATION
0 No. of ﬂights per day: Domestic: 10 (Haneda >Komatsu); 1 (Narita > Komatsu); 2 (Haneda > Noto); 4(Fukuoka > Komatsu); 1 (Sapporo, New Chitose >Komatsu); 1 (Naha > Komatsu); 2 (Sendai > Komatsu);
International: 1 (Seoul > Komatsu); 1 (Shanghai >Komatsu); 1 (Taipei > Komatsu) *Mar 2019
Komatsu Airport: http://www.komatsuairport.jp
Noto Airport: http://www.noto-airport.jp
b by Express Bus: There are many buses
from other cities to Kanazawa station:
Naha Airport

JR BUS WEST: http://www.nishinihonjrbus.co.jp
HOKURIKU TETSUDO: http://www.hokutetsu.co.jp
MARUICHI KANKO: http://www.maruichi-gp.co.jp
MEITETSU BUS: http://www.meitetsu-bus.co.jp/english/
WILLER EXPRESS: http://willerexpress.com/en/

Kanazawa has been known within Japan as a mecca of traditionalarts and culture for centuries. Come and discover for yourself the
intriguing history and skilled craﬅsmanship found in thisexceptional city.

Chubu Centrair
International
AirportHokuriku Shinkansen
In 2015, the Hokuriku Shinkansen began
ser vice, reducing travel time between
Tokyo and Kanazawa to around 2 hours 30
minutes. With its route cutting throughthe mountains, thejourney is sure to
be as lovely as itis quick!

d No. of trains per day: from Tokyo: 24(Hokuriku Shinkansen); from Osaka via Kyoto:
2 5 ( T h u n d e r b i rd l i m i te d e x p re s s); f r o mNagoya: 8 (Shirasagi limited express) *Mar 2019
JR EAST: http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/index.html
JR WEST: http://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/
JR RAIL PASS: http://www.japanrailpass.net

Kanazawa, Japan UNESCO City of Craﬅs and Folk Art

The city of Kanazawa, Japan was appointed
UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk Art
on the 8th of June 2009.
The city of Kanazawa boasts an outstanding
history and heritage relating to traditional
crafts and folk art. The city’s efforts inlinking traditional crafts aesthetics andtechniques with modern technology in a

spirit of creativity and innovation are verysignificant. The city also has a strong
financial and infrastructural commitment toenhance the interest and awareness of
traditional crafts among new generations.
Kanazawa is expected to give an exemplarye f f e c t t o o t h e r ci ti e s b y s h a r in g i t sexperience on how to foster the linkage
between traditional craft andcontemporary industry andnurture a sustainable crafts
environment.
(http://www.unesco.org)

The authors: Lauren Scharf and Evelyn Teploff-Mugii are Americans living in Kanazawa. They are co-founders of
The Art of Travel, dedicated to promoting the arts and culture of Japan through customized travel to visitors fromaround the world; Art direction: Artex Inc; Cover photo: Suzuka at geisha house Kaikaro

Kanazawa City Hall - Tourism Promotion Section: Phone +81-(0)76-220-2194
Kanazawa City Tourism Association: Phone +81-(0)76-232-5555
16https ://v isitk anazawa.jp

金 Strength & Beauty
沢 Kanazawa: City of Artisans

201903

Beyond Tourism
Extraordinary beauty and artistryat every turn.

伝
TRADITION

Go deeper into Kanazawa’s fascinating pastan d v ib r ant p res ent through th e cit y ’s
remarkable artisanal crafts and unparalleledculture. Replete with dozens of museums,
preserved houses and shops, thriving geisha
districts, and of course, Kanazawa Castle andKenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa oﬀers
something for everyone. Prepare yourself forsensory overload as you wander the narrowwinding streets of the Nagamachi Buke Yashiki
District, the Samurai District, or stop in for tea
at a beautiful little shop in the Higashi Chaya
District, the Geisha District, encountering
extraordinary beauty and artistry at every turn.

統

Higashi chaya District, the Geisha District.

哲

巧

PHILOSOPHY

SKILL

学

技

Tea ceremony

Kutaniyaki (Kutani Kosengama kiln)

遺HERITAGE産
四SEASONS

季

2

Kenrokuen Garden

Autumn (Kenrokuen Garden)3

library of the realm.” He also completed a
project of an earlier daimyo who hadtransformed the armory into a workshop for
producing industrial arts by expanding its
parameters to also include paper, metal
work, lacquer, bamboo, clothing, ceramics,
and gold leaf.

Kanazawa Castle ParkThe de’ Medici of JapanThe Maeda Family: 300 Years of Encouraging the Arts

The Kaga region soon
became a centerof the arts rivaling Florence.
"The city of Kanazawa began as a center of
Buddhism in 1546 when the Ikko Sect built
Gobo Temple on the site of what is now

woodwork, and Noh masks.
A later Maeda descendent also encouraged
learning by inviting Confucian scholars to
Kanazawa, and publicly supported thecollection and preservation of the classics,
earning Kaga the reputation as being “theSeveral hundred years later, and all of thosearts continue to ﬂourish. Kanazawa lacquer
and maki-e (using gold, silver, and shell todecorate), Kaga Yuzen (silk dying), Kutani
and Ohi pottery, Kaga Zogan (metal inlay),and Kaga mizuhiki (colorful, ﬂexible paper
cords) all endure to this day, exhibiting thesame quality and variety as their 17th
century counterparts, along with manyother local crafts still being produced at the
Utatsuyama Craft Workshop as a place forartisans to work and learn. With such a vital
histor y, it ’s no surprise that UNESCO
selected Kanazawa to join the Creative
Cities Network in 2009, or that over sevenmillion tourists visit Kanazawa every year.
Kanazawa Castle Park, Kenrokuen Garden(Six Attributes Garden), Seisonkaku Villa…
beautiful reminders of the debt Kanazawa
owes Maeda Toshiie and his descendants.

Kanazawa Castle. Just 37 years later, thepower ful general Maeda Toshiie was
granted the ﬁefdom by one of Japan's threegreat uniﬁers, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, initiatinga Maeda dynasty that would last nearly 300
years and span nine generations."
As the shogunate harbored deep suspicionsof successful daimyo (a title bestowed uponlandowners who produced more than ten
thousand koku, or 3,300,000 lbs / 1,500,000
kg of rice per year) out of concern forchallenges to its rule, the Maedas and their
one million koku created considerable
unease back in Edo (now Tokyo). As a very
clever strategy to alleviate those fears,
Maeda daimyo began to import artists andartisans from around Japan, eﬀectively
demonstrating that they had no militaryaspirations. The shogunate was appeased,
and the Kaga region soon became a centerof the arts rivaling Florence. Over several
generations of Maeda leaders, Kanazawa
saw a dramatic increase in workshops,s tu dios, an d guilds all d e dic ate d top er fe c ting such inimitable cr af t s as
lacquerware, silk, ceramics, metal work,

Kinpaku: gold leaf

Kaga Makie

Kenrokuen Garden

Seisonkaku Villa

Noh Mask (Photograph provided by Ishikawa Prefecture)

45

rulers kept ready for battle. It has been said
that forbidden by the shogun to practiceswordplay, they took up ﬂy-ﬁshing as a way
to keep their minds focused and theirbodies strong, and elaborately tied ﬂies
became objects of admiration. To this day
in Kanazawa, one family maintains the
tradition of hand-tied ﬂies, creating tiny
works of art prized by ﬁshermen far andwide.

Buke Yashiki-ato Nomura-ke House

Samurai Legacy
From Tea Ceremony to Fly Fishing,
These Warriors Left Their Mark
Abumi: stirrups with Kaga Zogan decoration

The samurai studied
tea ceremony because its rules
and rituals mirrored combat.
Samurai are the s tuﬀ of le gend, andnowhere is their presence more strongly
felt today than in the narrow cobbled
streets and along the ﬂowing canals of
K ana z awa’s Buke Yashik i, or Samurai
District. Having never experienced a major
natur al dis as ter an d p ass e d over bybombers during World War II,

Kebari:ﬂy-ﬁshing lures(Meboso Hachirobei Shotenﬁshing lure shop)

6

Kanazawa has maintained its otherworldly
charm, from the remains of Kanazawa
Castle down into the picturesque geisha
and samurai distric ts. Centeredaround the area known as
Nagamachi located at the foot of thecastle, former samurai homes aretucked away behind thick ochre mud
walls topped with distinctive clay orwooden tiles. During Kanazawa’s snowy
winters, woven straw mats protect thewalls, designed to prevent freezing andsplitting. Private entrances
shield modern

Natsume: tea jar
decorated with Makie(using gold, silver, andshell to decorate)

occupants from curious
passers-by, but
fortunately there areseveral residences andshops open to the public
where visitors canexperience the striking
architecture and reﬁned taste ofthese multi-faceted ﬁghters.
Among points of interest, the Nomura-ke
House stands out for its beauty and décor.
The garden is exceptional, as is the second
ﬂoor tearoom where visitors can enjoy a
cup of green tea while admiring displayed
items that change according to the season.
Equally interesting is the Shinise Kinenkan
Museum, a restored pharmacy completewith objects essential to city folk in their
daily lives and an assortment of locally
produced crafts.

When not learning patience while standingin icy rivers, the samurai spent their time ina number of other artistic and spiritual
pursuits. First among these was sado or theway of tea. Although some experts believethat the samurai studied sado as a meansof escaping the chaos of battle, others say
the truth is far less romantic: samurai
studied tea ceremony because its rules andrituals mirrored combat. Mistakes may be
inevitable in both endeavors; what is
important is how one takes theunexpected and turns it to his advantage.
Sado requires a wide array ofaccoutrements to be pursued properly,
including iron pots, ceramic tea bowls andplates, and bamboo utensils. All werecreated by Kanazawa’s ever- growing
population of skilled artisans and manysurvive today in both private collections
and museum displays in and around
Kanazawa.

Perhaps one of the most innocuous yet
surprisingly important artisanal products of
the later Edo period were ﬂy-ﬁshing lures.
By the late 17th century, peace had been
f ull y res to re d to Jap an un d er th e
Tokugawa Shogunate, dramaticallyreducing the need for armed samurai.
While many of the stalwart warriors
transitioned into positions such asteachers, merchants, andbureaucrats, there remained apercentage that the Maeda
Denbei’s armor owned by the Nomura Family

7

Kaga Temari:traditional handball

traditional
nature-inspired
motifs toWesternizedmodern designs, thecurrent Kutaniyaki workshops continue tocreate b eau ti f ul o r iginal wo r k s thatemphasize quality and skill.

Kaga Nui embroidery

Also prized by the local populace was thehand-painted silk of the K aga Yuzen
workshop, still held in great regard today.
Identiﬁed by their seasonal motifs, realistic
renderings of nature, and use of the Kaga
gosai (ﬁve colors of Kaga: indigo, dark red,
yellow, grass green, and purple), kimono
created by Kaga Yuzen artisans have long
been objects of admiration. Families forwhom an entire kimono was unobtainable
could still enjoy the fabric as tapestries,
bags, wrapping cloths, and table runners,
items all immensely popular today withJapanese and foreign visitors alike.

A Tradition of Craft
Artisans for the Everyman

Centuries of form
and function to meet the needsof the common folk.
In addition to the crafts produced for thesamurai and other aristocracy, Kanazawa
had a thriving market to meet the needs ofthe common people. First among thesewas kinpaku or gold leaf. Ever since theglittering ore was ﬁrst discovered in thearea, it has provided a livelihood forgenerations of artisans in spite of several
periods when it was banned by the Edo
government, forcing it
underground
until an oﬃcial
license was
granted in 1845.
Today, Kanazawa
accounts for 99%
of the gold leaf
produced inJapan, althoughmuch of the raw
material is now
imported. While
the Maeda family

Kaga Yuzen Kimono

had the wealth to cover entire rooms ingold leaf, the pounding of the metal kept
many commoners employed in order tomeet the high demand for butsudan, thetraditional Buddhist altar found in many
Japanese homes. And before the altar,
delicate lacquer bowls for oﬀerings were
decorated with kin-maki-e, the 1000 year
old method of sprinkling gold, silver, orshell dust onto lacquer to create beautiful
designs. This technique is also used toembellish boxes, tea canisters, platters,
calligraphy set s, and even p ens andwatches.

Sharing the same vivid Kaga gosai palette is
the ceramic tradition of Kutaniyaki. For over
200 years, their ar tisans have createdfantastic, often decadent tableware, often
incorporating generous helpings of gold aswell. Used for everything from ceremonial
occasions to home décor, Kutaniyaki has
been collec ted and passed down forgenerations, even as contemporary artisans
work to sustain and revitalize the line. From

Perhaps one of Kanazawa’s most beloved
crafts is that of Kaga Zogan, or metal inlay.
Brought to the city over 400 years ago by a
Kyoto artisan, zogan involves carving apattern into a base metal which is thenﬁlled with a diﬀerent metal. The processensures that once joined, the two metals
will remain fused, an impor tant facet
considering early zogan was used to makedecorative stirrups and sword ﬁttings.
Nowadays, this ﬁnely honed skill is reserved
for more sedentary objects such as vases,
incense burners, and even jewelry, andKanazawa is home to several respectedstudios as well as a National Living Treasure.
Among the most eye- catching ofKanazawa crafts are the multi-hued temariballs, brilliantly colored and patterned orbs
ranging in size from tiny to substantial. Ever
since the granddaughter of Shogun Ieyasu
To k u g aw a b ro u g ht o n e w i t h h e r to
Kanazawa upon her marriage into the
Maeda clan, the custom of presenting atemari talisman to a bride before marriage
continues today. Of equal beauty andprecision is Kaga Nui, or embroidery. With
its origins in the decorative cloths used in
Buddhist altars and priests’ robes, Kaga Nui
is characterized by the use of gold andsilver threads integrated with a vast paletteof brilliant hues.

Kutaniyaki Sake Cups
(Kutani Kosengama Kiln)

Kanazawa Butsudan Budhist Altar

8

9

Kanazawa’s Rich Artistic Heritage

Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art
石川県立美術館

Gold, silk, ceramics...
the city abounds in an unparalleled abundance of traditional arts
Local museums and workshops
present visitors with the very bestof Kanazawa’s crafts andcraftspeople, bringing the past alive.

2-1, Dewamachi, Kanazawa
Phone: +81-(0)76-231-7580 / Fax: +81-(0)76-224-9550

Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Traditional Arts and Crafts
石川県立伝統産業工芸館

As the capital of Ishikawa Prefec ture,
Kanazawa has abundant museums, many
displaying the city’s rich artistic heritage.
Not to be missed are several destinations

1-1, Kenrokumachi, Kanazawa
Phone: +81-(0)76-262-2020 / Fax: +81-(0)76-262-8690

Kutaniyaki (Kutani Kosengama kiln)

Kaga Yuzen

speciﬁcally worth mentioning, each with adiﬀerent focus on the arts.
Let’s begin with the impressive Ishikawa
Prefectural Museum of Art, acclaimed forboth its collection of treasures from theMaeda estate and culturally signiﬁcant art
linked to the region. Located in
Hondanomori Park, the museum issurrounded by nature, while inside there’s acafé where visitors can enjoy tea andsweets.

Iroe Kiji Koro:
incense burner in the shape of pheasant,a National treasure designated on June 9, 1951.
(Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art)

Just down thestreet, you’ll ﬁnd
the Museum for
Makie
Traditional
Products and Craf ts, housing all 36 of
Ishikawa’s crafts under one roof, and readyto educate and inform guests of the cultural
importance of crafts in people’s daily lives.
Exhibits are organized by category, and themuseum also has an active tea ceremonyroom and gift shop.
For a complete experience of Kutaniyaki,
there’s no place like Kutani Kosengama kiln.
In operation since 1870, this family-run
establishment oﬀers an English tourd e t ailin g t h e e nt ire p ro ce ss o fcreating Kutaniyaki, including
demonstrations. Visitors canKaga Yuzen artist, Kozo Morita(Kaga-Yuzen Kimono Center)10

also have a “hands-on” experience painting
ceramics, and of course browse the kiln’s
gallery.

Kutani Kosengama Kiln
九谷光仙窯

5-3-3, Nomachi, Kanazawa
Phone: +81-(0)76-241-0902 / Fax: +81-(0)76-241-0954

Kanazawa Yasue Gold Leaf Museum
金沢市立安江金箔工芸館

The Kanazawa Yasue Gold Leaf Museum
showcases the city’s long history of goldleaf production. Named after an artisan
w h o d e vote d his li fe to t h e c r a f t , i tpresents information through ﬁlms, and awide array of glittering works.
Finally, visitors can immerse themselves in
the gorgeous silk s of the Kaga-Yuzen
Kimono Center, where the history andprocess of kimono designing is clearly
explained and demonstrated. There’s also
the option of being dressed in a
traditional kimono and photographed, oreven going for a kimono-clad stroll in a
nearby park, as well as trying a bit of silk
dying for a souvenir.

1-3-10, Higashiyama, Kanazawa
Phone: +81-(0)76-251-8950 / Fax: +81-(0)76-251-8952

Kaga-Yuzen Kimono Center
加賀友禅会館

8-8, Kosyomachi, Kanazawa
Phone: +81-(0)76-224-5511 / Fax: +81-(0)76-224-5533

11

Kaga Zogan [Pendant]
Metal inlay work has been created in
Kanazawa since the early 1600’s, but it’s only
in recent years that zogan craftspeople havebegun to apply their skill to wearable art
such as jewelry, resulting in highly original,
striking pieces. (Kanazawa Craft Hirosaka:
Phone +81-(0)76-265-3320)

Lacquerware [Soup Bowl]
Generations of Kanazawa artisans have produced
some of the world’s ﬁnest examples oflacquerware, often collaborating with maki-e
artisans working in gold and silver powder.
Together, the result is eye-catching, evoking thepast and celebrating the present. (Urushi SalonNOSAKU: Phone +81-(0)76-263-8121)

Kaga Temari[Traditional Handballs]
These folk art balls date back to theearly Edo period (1603-1867) andhave brought joy to children of allages ever since. Cotton thread istightly wound around a hard corein vibrant, often unbelievably
complex geometrical patterns.
(Kanazawa Craft Hirosaka: Phone+81-(0)76-265-3320)

A Window
onto Kanazawa Craft

An array of local artists’ most eye-catching collectibles
Kanazawa is home to countless shops, galleries, boutiques, and artist collectives all selling awide range of decorative and functional crafts. While it would take weeks to visit them all, a
handful stand out for their quality and variety, from jewelry to ceramics, lacquer to silk. Here
we present an array of local ar tists’ most eye - catchingcollectibles, but
do keep in mind, this is just a sampling!

Washi [Postcards and Envelopes]
Ever since 1592, paper has been made in therural mountain villages east of Kanazawa
where the necessary natural resources
abound. More than four centuries later andlittle about the process — or the paper — haschanged. (Kanazawa Craft Hirosaka: Phone+81-(0)76-265-3320)
Mizuhiki [Paper Craft Cellphone Strap]
Created from tightly wound starched anddyed paper, the colorful strings are thendelicately manipulated into a variety ofshapes and designs. Originally popularadornments on ceremonial envelopes, thecraft has recently caught on for other fun
applications. ("21st Century Museum ofContemporary Art, Kanazawa" Museum
Shop: Phone +81-(0)76-236-6072)
12

Kutaniyaki [colorful, modern teacup & saucer]
Although Kutaniyaki has been producing highly original
porcelain for over 200 years, the current generation has
added some contemporary twists to their tablewarecollection, resulting in cheerful pieces that brighten any
setting. (Enishira: Phone +81-(0)76-225-8241)

Kaga Yuzen furoshiki[Silk Wrapper]
These beautiful hand-painted silk
squares have traditionally beenused to wrap and carry packages,
possessions, or gifts, but can justas easily be used to carry bottles ofwine or even as ascots or scarves.
Whatever their use, they’re sure to
attract attention.
(Kaga-Yuzen Kimono Center:Phone +81-(0)76-224-5511)

Japanese
Kin-maki-e
Accessories[bracelet and ring]
Feather-light,
moisture-resistant paper
jewelry made with the 1000 year
old traditional technique of
kin-maki-e, a process in which gold powder
is dusted onto lacquered designs. The results area subtle yet stunning sparkle, fusing past and present.
(Enishira: Phone +81-(0)76-225-8241)
13

Beyond Craft
Kanazawa has much else to oﬀer visitors,
including delicious cuisine, modern art, and over 40 active geisha.

Higashi Chayagai

Omi-cho Market

Kanazawa Castle Park

Since the Edo period, “Kanazawa’s
Kitchen” has been the source of
local seafood, fruit andvegetables, and much more.
Today it ’s a busy net work ofcovered streets with over 150
shops and stalls plus several
excellent restaurants.

Located next to Kenrokuen, it
was once the private domain of
the Maeda family. Since theirtriumphant entry in 1583, thec a s t l e h a s b e e n re p eate d l ydestroyed by ﬁre and rebuilt tooriginal speciﬁcations.

21st Century Museum ofContemporary Art,
Kanazawa

GeishaKanazawa is second only to
Kyoto for the number of active
geisha, with thre e dis tinc thistoric distric ts: Higashi
Chayagai, Nishi Chayagai, andKazuemachi Chayagai. Visit ateahouse or attend a public
performance.

T h is Pr i t z k e r Pr i ze - w i n n i n gbuilding is home to a dynamic
permanent collection of works
created since 1980, much ofwhich is integrated into museum
grounds.

D.T. Suzuki Museum

Local Cuisine

Designed by the internationallya cc l a i m e d a rc h i te c t Yo s h i oTaniguchi (best known for theextension of New York’s MOMA),
the museum is a reﬂection ofZen Buddhist philosophy and
D.T. Suzuki’s work.

E v e n To k y o i t e s c o m e t oKanazawa in search of the best
cuisine as the city is attracting
international recognition for its
fresh ingredients, its embracingof the “locavore” movement, andabove all, its unparalleled chefs.

© D. T. Suzuki Museum

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